


Morning Light

by WhiteEevee



Category: No. 6 - All Media Types, No. 6 - Asano Atsuko
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-01
Updated: 2018-01-01
Packaged: 2019-02-26 12:45:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,865
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13236027
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhiteEevee/pseuds/WhiteEevee
Summary: Secret santa for asterrat. Domestic fluff, post-reunion.





	Morning Light

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KnightOfSixthMagnitudeStars](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KnightOfSixthMagnitudeStars/gifts).



> Asterrat, if you're on Ao3 let me know so I can actually gift this work to you <3

     It was times like this that Nezumi wondered how he ever left at all. Sure, he had to go in order to experience the world and learn about who he was without the all-consuming hatred for No. 6, but everything he learned seemed insignificant when he woke up face to face with Shion.

 _Or maybe I appreciate it more_ because _we were separated…_

Shion was fast asleep on Nezumi’s outstretched arm, and even though the tips of his fingers had transitioned from pins and needles to full on numbness, Nezumi did not attempt to move Shion’s head. Instead, he spent a full five minutes studying Shion’s eyelashes, which, although not remarkably long, _were_ white, and honestly he had never quite gotten over Shion’s overnight makeover all those years ago.

His lashes overlaid the scar on his cheek like a fine dusting of frost. The sun peeking through the not-quite-closed slats in the blinds painted a pattern over his face, one bar falling to highlight Shion’s eyes so that his lashes seemed lighter and finer than ever.

Shion was beautiful. Nezumi wasn’t afraid to admit it anymore, even though he didn’t say it out loud as often as he thought it. He was working on it. It had only been five months since he had returned to No. 6, and only four since he worked up the courage to try being in Shion’s life again. Being close to someone, in any capacity, used to make him agitated, but for the first time in a long time, he felt peaceful.

Nezumi wanted to reach out and smooth Shion’s hair. He could feel its softness brushing up against his arm where Shion had found comfort in the crook of his elbow. He wanted to feel the gossamer strands between his fingers, to marvel at the texture and color against his weatherworn hands. But Nezumi was still new to this, and still a little embarrassed of the impulses that seized upon him when Shion was close.

 _Baby steps,_ Nezumi reminded himself, feeling a little pathetic for it. _But this… This might be okay._

Nezumi gently extricated his free arm from the blankets, so as to not disturb Shion’s slumber, and ghosted his fingers over the side of Shion’s head. It felt taboo to touch something that soft. Nezumi didn’t have a lot of softness in his life, and he was trying his damnedest not to mess up the one chance offered to him.

Shion sighed through his nose, the puff of air tickling a bit and sending a kaleidoscope of butterflies fluttering through Nezumi’s stomach. Nezumi stifled a groan.

_No doubt about it. I’m pathetic._

Shion stirred. Nezumi kept himself still as Shion’s eyes cracked open and gradually focused on him.

“Mm. Morning,” he murmured with a sleepy smile on his face.

“Good morning.”

Nezumi’s hand still rested on Shion’s hair, and at this point stealth was useless, so he gave up and ran his fingers fully through the strands. Shion hummed appreciatively and pulled the blanket up over his mouth.

“Have you been up long?” he asked through the fabric.

“Not really,” Nezumi lied, and took the opportunity to flex his fingers on the arm Shion was using as a pillow. His fingers were unresponsive, but the attempt was enough to clue Shion in. He lifted his head long enough to allow Nezumi to pull his arm in and try to massage some feeling back into it.

Shion’s brow creased in concern. “You should’ve woken me.”

“It’s fine. It’s only a little asleep.”

Shion’s eyes looked unconvinced.

“What are you doing anyway?” Nezumi asked. “Why is your face covered? You afraid I’m going to give you a good morning kiss?”

“That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”

Nezumi forgot about his arm and frowned at Shion.

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Shion said. “It’s not that I don’t want to kiss you, but I just woke up, and… you know…” He pulled the blanket farther up until it covered his nose and mumbled, “I have morning breath.”

“What? You do not. And even if you did, I’d already be over it—you’ve been breathing in my face for the last god knows how long.” Nezumi jerked the blanket away from Shion’s face and confiscated it under his reanimated arm.

Shion pouted at him. “I’m cold now.”

“Too bad. Your foolishness has lost you your blanket privileges.”

“You’re mean.”

“I’m always mean. Ask anyone, they’ll tell you so.”

“You’re not always mean…”

Shion squirmed his way across the space between them and buried his face in Nezumi’s chest. Nezumi tried to slow his heart rate by pretending it hadn’t sped up at all. Shion laid nestled up against him for a few seconds and then turned his head to peek up at him.

“Aren’t you going to give me that kiss?”

Nezumi’s heart had an inopportune seizure, which cost him the precious seconds needed to come up with a witty retort.

Shion smirked. Nezumi’s brain struggled to process.

 _Has Shion always been this forward?_ Nezumi didn’t hate it.

Of course all the extra processing once again robbed him of the opportunity to act in a timely manner, and Shion had sighed and turned his head back into Nezumi’s chest before Nezumi could make good on the kiss.

He scowled at himself and moved to at least put his arms around Shion, but Shion shot up in a sudden panic.

“What time is it?” he demanded and cast a horrified glance at the bedside clock. “It’s so late! Why didn’t my alarm go off?”

Shion scrambled to get out of bed, but Nezumi leaned forward and tugged him back down. Shion’s initial gasp of surprise quickly changed to irritability when Nezumi wrapped his arms around his torso and hugged him to his chest. He hooked his legs over Shion’s for good measure. Shion struggled ineffectively against his hold.

“Nezumi, stop. Let go. I have a meeting today, I’m going to be late.”

“Yes, you are. In fact, you’re not going. I turned your alarm off for a reason.”

Shion went still. He craned his neck and Nezumi gave him enough leeway to twist around. “You turned off my alarm?”

The look of betrayal on his face almost made Nezumi second-guess himself, but he found his resolve and forged on. “Yes, I did. It’s Sunday, Shion. You shouldn’t have meetings on Sundays—no one should.”

Shion groaned. “This is important, Nezumi. The year’s almost over—if we don’t finalize the initiatives now, we’ll be starting the New Year behind the curve.”

“There are twenty-three other people on the Committee; I’m sure they can figure it out even if you’re not there. You’ve already pulled overtime every day this week, you don’t need work eating up your weekend too.”

“Nezumi…”

Shion wriggled again in his grasp, but his attempt was less insistent than before. Nezumi was thankful for that, because if Shion had continued to be irritated, he wasn’t sure he would have the courage to get this next part out.

“I miss you,” he muttered against Shion’s shoulder.

Shion stopped trying to escape. Nezumi pulled him tighter to his chest, half to impress upon him the magnitude of the words, and half to feel in control of something, because he certainly wasn’t in control of his feelings.

Nezumi could feel Shion’s gaze like a burn on the side of his face, but he wasn’t able to meet his eyes. He felt physically ill after admitting that one stupid thing—how did Shion manage to say the things he did and not turn into a self-conscious mess? He had to talk himself down from playing it off as a joke every second that passed between them and Shion just stared and _didn’t say anything_.

 _Why isn’t he responding?_ A bead of sweat slipped down his back. _Great. This is really attractive. I hate myself._

“Nezumi?”

Nezumi’s stomach clenched, but the softness in Shion’s voice helped him remember how to move. He looked up and averted his gaze immediately; Shion’s dark eyes were too blinding to bear at the moment.

“Let me get my phone. Okay?”

Nezumi let him go. If his admission hadn’t convinced Shion to stay home then there was no point in holding on.

Shion crawled across the bed and pulled his phone from the bedside table. “Torey?” he said into the phone. “Yes, hello. About the meeting today…”

He paused and Nezumi hazarded a look at him from where he had fortified himself in the blankets. Shion caught his look and smiled.

“I’m not coming,” Shion finished.

He paused as Torey responded. The other man was quite concerned if the frantic buzz on the other end of the line was any indicator.

“No, I’m fine,” Shion said. “I’m just not coming today. Please tell everyone that I’ll review the proposals tomorrow, first thing in the morning. And do me a favor? Don’t let Anzu bully everyone into choosing her plans. It’s a committee, not a monopoly.”

Shion listened for another few seconds, thanked Torey, and hung up. Nezumi felt warm and excited when Shion crawled back across the bed and sat at his side.

“I’m sorry, Nezumi,” Shion said. “I haven’t been around much, have I?”

Nezumi shrugged a shoulder. “I’m partly to blame. I did tell you to do the job. I just didn’t think you would _become_ the job.” He narrowed his eyes in mock seriousness.

Shion grinned. “I’ll be more careful in the future. I forgot how much attention you need.”

Nezumi scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Shion chuckled and ran his fingers through Nezumi’s hair. Just like that. No hesitation, no silly flip flopping about whether it was appropriate or embarrassing. Nezumi was used to being the most confident person in the room, but he was okay with losing to Shion in this one area.

Shion played with his hair for several long, luxurious minutes. That was one thing they had in common: neither one ever grew tired of marveling at the other’s hair. Nezumi had grown his down to his shoulders during his travels, and he had fully planned to cut it off once he had gotten back to No. 6, but Shion had been so amazed by it he never followed through.

Nezumi sighed through his nose and closed his eyes.

“I love you.”

Nezumi opened his eyes, all drowsiness wiped from his mind. Shion stopped running his fingers through his hair, and stared back at him without a hint of shyness.

Nezumi sat up. He tried to parse the warm, fuzzy feelings he was experiencing from the years of bitterness and isolation. He swallowed. “I…”

Shion smiled at him. The look was gentle and affectionate and Nezumi felt even more confused.

“You don’t have to say it back right now. It’s okay, I don’t mind.” Shion’s smile didn’t waver. “You can take all the time you need.”

Nezumi huffed. “…I’m working on it.”

“Mm.” Shion leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

The film of uncertainty in Nezumi’s mind cleared. This he knew how to do. This didn’t require words. Nezumi shifted closer to Shion and pulled him into a kiss.


End file.
